ABRIMS

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Assessment of Brain - injury using Radio-Frequency Induction and Microwave Spectroscopy

• IRAS ID

  324472

• Contact name

  Stuart Watson

• Contact email

  Stuart.Watson@nca.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust

• ISRCTN Number

  ISRCTN83538297

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Stroke is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Treatments are time critical.
  Stroke is often suspected in the ambulance, but up to 40% turn out to have something else. It is also not possible to distinguish between a stroke caused by a blocked artery or bleeding into the brain. Treatments for the two types are very different and some can only be given in specialised hospitals. If we could confirm the diagnosis of stroke and the subtype in the ambulance, patients could go to the right hospital first time and treatment could be started in the ambulance.

  This proposal takes advantage of recent work on methods called radio-frequency induction and microwave spectroscopy. We will combine both methods in a single portable device. Our hope is that these techniques will tell us about the changes taking place inside the skull in patients shortly after a stroke. If they do, a portable device for use in ambulances could be developed and further tested, to see if it can improve the speed and access to stroke treatments.

  Our aim is to test a prototype device to see whether it can distinguish changes in the brain after stroke, comparing heathy volunteers with stroke patients. We will test the device with 10-20 healthy adult volunteers and 40 stroke patients within 3 days of their stroke onset. Healthy volunteers will have up to 8 repeated measurements collected from the ABRIMS device, each taking 5 minutes. Patient 1-5 days after the stroke will have measurements with the ABRIMS device followed by a standard MRI research brain scan. The ABRIMS device uses radio waves and radar to take readings from the brain. The strength of these waves is much less than existing medical devices and mobile phones and no adverse effects are expected.

• REC name

  North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  23/NW/0221

• Date of REC Opinion

  17 Oct 2023

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion